H1Z1 is a zombie survival MMO sandbox video game in development by Daybreak Game Company (formerly Sony Online Entertainment). H1Z1 is currently being developed in Early Access release for Microsoft Windows and eventually PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

The game is set during a zombie apocalypse in rural United States, in which players will have to survive against the natural elements, hordes of undead, and thousands of potentially hostile survivors through interaction, scavenging for resources, building shelters, and crafting. [1]

Gameplay emphasizes multiplayer cooperation, trading, and team-building. In an interview with Adam Clegg from SOE it was made clear that unlike other zombie MMO games, the main focus will be about surviving against the zombies through teamwork with other players, rather than having a player versus player (PVP) environment with zombies as a backdrop. Crafting items has also been implemented. [2]

It has been confirmed that there will be no "safe zones" in the map, it will be a fight for survival from the moment you spawn.

The developers have noted that during the games production they researched the real life island of Poveglia in the Venetian lagoon extensively which was used as a plague colony in the 18 th century and have stated that this factors into the lore of the game. It is rumoured that the island shown in the northern lake on the map is the developers version of Poveglia and will be the site of the initial H1Z1 outbreak.

Sony Online Entertainment plans to have a large map area and will be adding large expanses of area as time passes (whilst in development it has been noted by Matt Broome Sony Online Entertainment on a podcast that the current development map is increasing by approximately 10% each week). New areas can be added very quickly, and as the map increase so will the amount of players that the map can hold. While they have not stated a final size they hope to have on release, it has been said there will not be loading screens as you travel to different areas, this also includes player housing and compounds which the developers have decided not to individually instance meaning they are open to anyone who can find a way in. Eventually, the map is hoped to become between the size of a state, or all of America. [3]